SARIKEI, Sept 9: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarikei Branch has urged the Sarawak government to solve landslide issues affecting about 500 residents from eight longhouses in Ulu Sungai Rusa, Jalan Kesa here.
Its chief Yee Chin Kui said a landslide had occurred at about 2km from the Ulu Sungai Rusa road junction several months ago.
“According to the longhouse residents, the authorities have initially sent officers to inspect the landslide site and install safety fences. But not long after, all the security fences suddenly disappeared.
“Now, the scene of the landslide is left without any safety fences, safety ropes, warning lights or other safety devices to warn attention to residents and visitors.
“The landslide site has caused the road surface to become narrower and indirectly endangers the vehicles traveling back and forth there,” he said in a statement today.
He also mentioned that there are no lights in the area at night which further endanger the residents who send their children to school in the wee hours of the morning.
Yee further said that landslides have frequently occurred in various locations throughout the road up to Rh Empenie at KM4, Kim San Road, for the past nine years.
These, he said, has led the longhouse residents to live in fear that their longhouse would be affected during heavy rains, especially during the rainy season.
“According to Tuai Rumah Empenie, the corridor of their longhouse were badly affected by a landslide in September of 2013. He (Empenie) said he had lodged a police report and sought help from various government agencies but no action was taken.
“During these nine years, TR Empenie has taken follow-up actions to follow the progress of the application and tried to get help from various relevant departments. In February this year, they finally got a visit from Sarikei fire station officials and a landslide verification report was written for them.
“PKR Sarikei hoped that people issues such as this can get serious attention and immediate solution from the relevant authorities without anymore delay. We also hope that government departments and related elected representatives will increase their work productivity and serve the people seriously,” he added. – DayakDaily
